Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag!

Hey guys! This is the first book tag I am doing on my blog, and it’s about time to be honest! So, I bring you the Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag created by IsThatChami and elyjayne on youtube and you can find the original video here.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2018.

I’ve read a lot of books I’ve really enjoyed in 2018 but I’ve only rated 2 of them at 5 stars. Out of the two of them, I think Viciousby V. E. Schwab is the book that I will more likely keep with me and recommend to others.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2018.

This is a difficult one because I’ve read a lot of sequels this year so far, but two really stand out to me. Leah on the Offbeatby Becky Albertalli was a book I was highly anticipating and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience of reading it. However, I also really really loved The Mark of Athenaby Rick Riordan. I have loved The Heroes of Olympus series and this was by far my favourite book of this series. I love Annabeth and I really enjoyed seeing more of her in this book.

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.

I have a few new releases that I am really excited to read but I’ve got to say that Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemii is probably the book I am most excited about. I have heard such incredible things about this book and so many people have said that it’s one of the best books they have read this year. This book just sounds so incredible and rich with magic and culture and I just know it’s going to be one of those books that I am going to be recommending to everyone for a long time.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

There are so many books I am looking forward to but two really stand out to me. The first is What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera. I love both of these authors and they have quickly become part of the YA contemporary canon. Seeing them writing a book together makes my heart so full and I just know this book is going to break so many people’s hearts. This book definitely feels like the perfect recipe for success and I cannot wait.

The second book I am SO excited for is The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. I was nervous when I first read The Gentleman’s Guidebecause I wasn’t sure if it was going to be something I’d enjoy but I ended up absolutely loving it! Felicity was one of my favourite characters in the book and I can’t wait to read about a badass young woman taking the world by storm!

5. Biggest disappointment.

Luckily I haven’t been that disappointed by books this year but there were a few that I was expecting great things from and I just felt let down. While it definitely wasn’t the worst book I’ve read so far this year, it was a book I had high expectations for and so the disappointed felt more prominent to me. That book is A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab. I have lovedthe Shades of Magic series and I was super excited to finally be reading the final instalment. But the book was just too long for what happens in the story. In my opinion everything that happens within these 600 pages could have been told in less than 200 and the overall story itself felt more like a third act to a novel than an entire novel. Granted, it is the third act in a series, but it still needed to adhere to the traditional story telling tools to make the book it’s own entity.

6. Biggest surprise.

My biggest surprise was To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Haan. I’d heard amazing things about this book so it wasn’t the quality of the story that surprised me. The surprise was how much I enjoyed this book for it’s subject and genre. I would never have said this would have been something I would have enjoyed but I loved it and I can’t wait to read the next 2 books and more of Jenny Haan’s work.

7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)

This is an author that I have only read one book of his, but I can see that this author is going to quickly become one of my favourites. Neal Shusterman’s Scythe was incredible and I am sure will be one of my favourite books of the year! YA dystopian fiction is one of my favourite genres but Scythe just opens up so many doors to how complex and deep this genre could be. The story opened up so many questions and discussions and I had such an incredible time reading this book. I so look forward to continuing this series and I cannot wait to pick up more of Neal’s books.

8. Newest fictional crush.

I don’t really get fictional crushes, but I can tell that I would lowkey crush on Apollo from The Trials of Apolloby Rick Riordan if I met him in real life. So far I have only read the first novel but his character development and heightened levels of compassion by the end of that book alone is extraordinary and is definitely a little bit swoon worthy.

9. Newest favourite character.

This is a difficult one because I honestly don’t think I have one. As someone who thrives off character development and character driven stories, the fact that there’s not one new character that stands out to me is a rare occurrence. That’s not to say I don’t love some of the characters I’ve met – there’s Citra from Scythe, Sydney from Vicious, Charlotte Holmes and Alucard Emery – I love all them, but I don’t think they’re going to be stand out favourite characters of mine that I will think if in years to come. If I’m wrong, great, I’d love that, but for now I’m happy with just enjoying reading about them.

10. Book that made you cry.

Aha I’m dead inside I don’t cry at anything. No seriously, I don’t think I’ve cried due to a piece of media this year at all.

11. Book that made you happy.

This is kind of a cheat because its a re-read, but Simon Vs. The Homosapien’s Agenda makes me real happy, and after the movie came out I just had to read it again. I love this world and all of Simon’s friends and I wish I knew them in real life. I can just tell we’d get on and have a laugh and they remind me of the friends that I had in school when I was 16. Reading it for the second time made me really nostalgic and I love that feeling and, even though some parts of the book are heartbreaking, I jut found myself smiling throughout almost all of this book.

12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year.

Love, Simon was AMAZING! If you have not seen it, what are you doing with yourself? That’s all I’m going to say. Just watch it.

13. Favourite review you’ve written this year.

This one is easy. My review for V. E. Schwab’s Vicious is probably my favourite review I’ve ever written. I wrote this review for a class in University and I am so proud of it. You can check it out here.

14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received).

I own a lot of beautiful books, but for some reason this year I haven’t bought many. Maybe that’s because I’ve been on a bit of a book buying ban and I’ve also not had a lot of time or money to buy too many books. But I think a book that I found really attracted me due to it’s cover was by Kristen Ciccarelli. The cover is just stunning and I could not resist picking it up!

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

I actually have a big list of books that I want to try and read before the end of the year. All of these books are books I own and have been sitting on my shelf for a little while. I made an immediate tbr (to be read) list on goodreads, not including any new releases (will add as they come out) and if you would like to check it out you can do so here. But instead of giving you a list of almost 30 books I want to read before this year is out, I’m going to give you 3.

Renegades by Melissa Meyer
I have wanted to read this book for a long time – since before it came out, in fact, and there is a sequel being released this year and I am dying to have read it by the time it’s released. I have heard incredible things about this book and I know it will be right up my alley.

Dumplin’by Julie Murphy
Another book I have only heard amazing things about and there is a movie coming out THIS YEAR. There’s already a sequel and I already own it and I will not let myself not read these two books before the year is out.

Caravalby Stephanie GarberAnother book whose sequel has already been released. I received this book in an OwlCrate box after I had already bought a copy. I own 2 copies of this book and I have not read it! What is wrong with me?! I LOVED The Night Circus and so many people have recommended this to read next. I don’t know why it’s taken me this long but I need to read this book, and fast.

Okay, so that’s it with my Mid Year Freak Out Book Tag! Let me know what 3 books you guys are hoping to read by the end of the year in the comments below and as always don’t forget to give this a like if you enjoyed it and subscribe to keep up to date whenever I post! See you guys soon!